松野官房長官を更迭へ　岸田首相、自民・安倍派裏金疑惑受け

　岸田文雄首相は、自民党最大派閥の安倍派が政治資金パーティー収入の一部を裏金化していた疑惑で、１０００万円超の還流を受けた疑いがある松野博一官房長官を交代させる方針を固めた。事実上の更迭とみられる。複数の政府・与党関係者が９日明らかにした。松野氏は２０２１年１０月の政権発足時から「内閣の要」である官房長官を務めており、首相には深刻な打撃となる。
　安倍派はパーティー券のノルマを超えて所属議員が売った収入を政治資金収支報告書に記載せず議員側に還流した疑いがあり、東京地検特捜部が捜査している。松野氏は官房長官就任まで約２年間、派閥の事務を取り仕切る事務総長を務め、現在も意思決定機関「常任幹事会」メンバーだ。
　問題発覚以降、松野氏は毎日２回行われる定例の記者会見で「政府の立場」を理由に説明を拒否。８日の衆参予算委員会では、自身の政治団体の収支について「適正に処理してきた」とする一方、具体的な内容は「答えは控える」と繰り返した。（2023/12/09-11:34）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has decided to remove Hirokazu Matsuno from the post of chief cabinet secretary amid a high-profile political funds scandal, government and ruling party sources said Saturday.
   Matsuno has held the key government post since the launch of Kishida's administration in October 2021. His departure is expected to be a major blow to the prime minister.
   It is unusual for the chief cabinet secretary, who serves as the government's top spokesperson, to be replaced. In the past, Hidenao Nakagawa and Yasuo Fukuda resigned from the post over a sex scandal in October 2000 and failure to pay public pension premiums in May 2004, respectively.
   Matsuno is suspected of receiving more than 10 million yen in undeclared funds from the proceeds of fundraising parties organized by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's largest faction, formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
   The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation squad is investigating such flows of funds to members of the LDP faction.